1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quick-disconnect optical coupler or coupling in the light path of a flow-cell.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore an optical coupling in a sight path through a flowcell has been attempted, which sight path is formed at least in part through a pair of elongated transmitting elements, such as optical fibers, interposed intermediate the respective flowcell windows and a light source and light detector, respectively. Such a coupling has included a fixed support for the flowcell and a clamp means comprising a pair of jaw members, the light-transmitting elements having terminals supported in the respective jaw members for alignment with the respective flowcell windows in the operative positions of the jaws. The construction was awkward, clumsy, and the jaws were difficult to align with the flowcell windows. Upon such alignment a user was required to clamp the jaw members together as by a resilient C clamp. There was no quick-disconnect of the flowcell from its support. Furthermore, the jaw members could not be quickly removed from the flowcell for complete clearance of the jaw members with the flowcell, while the jaw members were maintained in such clearance positions. The clamp was aligned in a horizontal plane by a bolt located in a threaded hole of the support to provide both alignment of the clamp in a plane normal to the sight path through the flowcell and in a plane parallel thereto. The jaws each had flanges through which the bolt passed with clearance, and nuts were provided on the bolt to coact with the flanges and hold the clamp jaws in the desired position in a plane normal to the flowcell sight path. To remove the optical coupling completely from the support, it was necessary to remove the aforementioned nuts, to remove the jaw members from the bolt, which provided a pivot for the jaw members, and to remove the bolt from the support. This was tedious and time consuming and, as previously indicated, it was also tedious and time consuming to assemble the optical coupling on the support.
The present invention involves obviating all of these problems.